Chelsea are preparing to make an improved bid of £70m for Wesley Fofana, after seeing an opening offer for the Leicester defender rejected.
Thomas Tuchel’s side are set to return with a new test of Leicester’s resolve to keep the centre-back, who the Foxes are understood to value at a world-record fee in excess of the £80m that took Harry Maguire from Leicester to Manchester United.
The Times are reporting that Fofana has been informed by the Foxes that he is not for sale this summer, though a record-breaking bid could tempt Leicester into a sale.
Brendan Rodgers’ side have failed to make a signing so far this summer and a huge fee would provide funds to strengthen the squad in the closing stages of the window.
Fofana made just seven league appearances last season after suffering a broken leg during a pre-season friendly with Villarreal last summer. However, he was named as the Foxes’ Young Player of the Season after an impressive debut campaign in 2020/21.
Leicester signed the 21-year-old in a deal worth up to £36.5m from Saint-Etienne, who are entitled to 20% of the profits on any sale. Chelsea’s had hoped to include Ruben Loftus-Cheek as a makeweight in the deal, though the midfielder has rejected that proposal.
Chelsea have turned to Fofana following a number of failed pursuits as the west Londoners look to replace the departed Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger. Kalidou Koulibaly has arrived from Napoli in a £33m deal, but moves for Matthijs de Ligt, Jules Kounde and Nathan Ake have all proven frustrating.
